Antisieze

Joined
Jun 6, 2019
Messages
228
Location
Cali, USA
Anyone want to talk about antisieze? There are many flavors out there, why so many, what is each one suited for, can the "best" one be used for all purposes? We should probably stick to talking about a single brand for simplicity, I'm choosing Permatex for the basis of this conversation, but if you have a brand you prefer, feel free to elaborate as to what flavors they have and are best suited for.

Copper, aluminum, nickel??? What's the difference?

If copper is for high heat, can it be used for low heat applications too? Are there surfaces that it shouldn't be used on, say, aluminum in the case of water pump bolts or manifold bolts on an aluminum head?
 
I think copper is for aluminum and stainless steel.
You can use higher temp stuff on lower temp materials, just that the higher temp stuff is gonna be more expensive.

I have a large tube of the silver cheap stuff and a small bottle of the copper stuff.
For my purposes they are both more than I'll use in my lifetime.

BTW the stuff that comes on Glocks is copper antisieze. I know folks who use it religiously after cleaning.
 
I find the regular permatex silver is the best for me when I'm wanting to cover every single tool and water fixture in the house, along with every article of clothing I'm wearing at the time.
 
I wish there was a good chart that showed which were best for what.

Makes no sense to me to use cu with aluminum parts. I use zinc based on my aluminum wheels to the rotors. I also keep some marine type around. The little jars on amazon aren't so expensive that you can't have a bunch. I don't think it really goes bad.

Ive not really found a use for the nickel type yet...
 
Originally Posted by ctechbob
I find the regular permatex silver is the best for me when I'm wanting to cover every single tool and water fixture in the house, along with every article of clothing I'm wearing at the time.


LOL great post. I truly feel for anyone who gets even a dab of it on their finger without realizing.



@JHZR2-
[Linked Image from asaptec.com]


Also: https://anzordev.cdn.prismic.io/anzordev/8bface4d-47ae-4b9f-925f-a93e94efef33_anti+seize.pdf
 
Thanks for the link, Snagglefoot, that will keep me busy for a while! :lol: I bought some permatex copper for it's heat resistance, figuring it would be a decent all around anti-seize. From reading several of the post in that link, it may not have been the right choice for the water pump replacement.

This is one of the things that chaps my hide about product labels and manufacturer recommendations, they're all wonderfully vague about where you should and shouldn't use them. While you can't necessarily list every application, is it so hard to say DO NOT USE with aluminum/steel connections or SAFE TO USE with XX material combinations?
 
In a former life, I worked in the petro-chemical world and we used Fel-Pro Hi-Temp C-100 Molybdenum Disulfide Anti-Seize everywhere. Some of the ethylene furnaces would reach temperatures that could melt many metals, but the stud bolts would break free every time.

I can remember breaking a 18" chlorine header apart that had been in operation about 10 years. The B7 nuts were so corroded they had lost at least 25% of the surface area. I broke them free with a 24" pipe wrench and there was still anti-seize on the threads.

You could spread a drop of this stuff between the planets and have some to spare. I have a can of it from 1983 that is still over half full.

[Linked Image]
 
Originally Posted by ctechbob
I find the regular permatex silver is the best for me when I'm wanting to cover every single tool and water fixture in the house, along with every article of clothing I'm wearing at the time.


I'm with ya.
 
Originally Posted by JHZR2
I wish there was a good chart that showed which were best for what. Makes no sense to me to use cu with aluminum parts. I use zinc based on my aluminum wheels to the rotors. I also keep some marine type around. The little jars on amazon aren't so expensive that you can't have a bunch. I don't think it really goes bad. Ive not really found a use for the nickel type yet...


I have the same thoughts. We should at least limit these discussions to the most commonly available ones: "silver", copper, nickel and forego discussions on nuclear power plant grade antiseize. After dozens of discussions here, we still have not come up with some very general guidelines about which product is best where. It's difficult when Permatex recommends both silver and copper for spark plugs in aluminum blocks. We also dwell on the temperature ratings - do we really need 2400F capability?
 
For steel into aluminum threads, zinc-based anti-seize works the best. I bought a can years ago primarily for working on motorcycles. The zinc dust is not abrasive to soft metal and prevents di-electric corrosion. Never had a problem removing or stripping aluminum threads that had a dab of this on them. Have 1lb can of Loctite Zinc that's 25 years old and will last me a lifetime.

https://www.antiseize.com/zinc-anti-seize-zinc-dust-and-petrolatum-compound-aircraft-grade

https://www.manufacturing.net/home/article/13216826/understanding-the-true-value-of-antiseize
 
Originally Posted by 2015_PSD
In a former life, I worked in the petro-chemical world and we used Fel-Pro Hi-Temp C-100 Molybdenum Disulfide Anti-Seize everywhere. Some of the ethylene furnaces would reach temperatures that could melt many metals, but the stud bolts would break free every time.




Similar situation for me. We use different formulations in the hydro-chem and cryogenic air sep world as well. Some of our process run around 1800degF, others close to absolute zero.
 
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2015_PSD, JTK, and Yah-Tah-Hey, what works well in industrial applications may not apply to general homeowner/vehicle applications. Sometimes biggest/bestest/etceraest is not better for lesser applications.

A_Spruce, to mess up your head more, here's one man's opinion on what is best for automotive use: https://agradetools.com/be-confident-with-anti-seize-how-to-use-the-right-anti-seize-like-a-boss/ .......It's a good read regardless of one's standing on the subject. I "think" it covers the ideas of seasoned mechanics vs. us weekend keyboard warriors. He eliminates the copper choice for numerous reasons. Note that the "silver" he picks as second choice has a bit of copper in it too.

It is a perplexing subject as proven by thousands of internet hits that reach the very same non-conclusion.
 
Originally Posted by doitmyself

A_Spruce, to mess up your head more . . .


Oh, like I need help with that!
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Thanks for the link and opinion.
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Originally Posted by doitmyself
2015_PSD, JTK, and Yah-Tah-Hey, what works well in industrial applications may not apply to general homeowner/vehicle applications. Sometimes biggest/bestest/etceraest is not better for lesser applications.
How is that logical? I have used it in various places/applications and never had an issue from then until now. Other than an incompatibility between metal types (which would be rare), I cannot think of a situation where the non-industrial version is better, even in automotive applications.
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